The 1994 Eurovision Performance

April 30, 2019

25 years ago Riverdance burst onto the world stage as part of the Eurovision Song Contest. The response from the thousands of people witnessing it in person at the Point and the international audience watching on TV, was extraordinary.

This seven minute routine was to change the face of Irish dance forever.

Conceived by producer, Moya Doherty with music composed by Bill Whelan and choreography by Michael Flatley, Jean Butler and Mavis Ascott, it became far more than just a Eurovision interval act. That performance was to become the first step in the truly remarkable Riverdance journey, which has seen the show perform live in over 515 venues worldwide, throughout 47 countries across 6 continents and be seen by over 3 billion people worldwide on TV.   And that journey is far from over, as Riverdance continues to tour and returns home each summer to the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin.

Moya Doherty said, “Just as my life changed with Eurovision 1994 so the cultural image of Ireland was also transformed. Irish culture, expressed in this case through dance and music, and as part of a wider, cultural awakening, took its place with confidence on the world stage.”

Riverdance – the original, the best.